


Where Do Broken Hearts Go

by JayMack9



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 05:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19288948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayMack9/pseuds/JayMack9
Summary: War changes everything and everyone. Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts to finish their seventh year and things can never go back to the way they were and sometimes they are not meant too!!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first published fanfic, so enjoy !!! I just wanted to thank my friend Celine for believing in me and inspiring me to finally to post it :)

We were sitting in silence today, like any other day when suddenly Malfoy turned and looked at me and asked me one of the deepest questions that I had ever been asked.

“Do you believe in fate, Granger?”

I stared at him for a moment, letting the question sink in. “It is an odd thing to ask Malfoy considering all that has happened, don’t you think?” I turned the question around on him, because I had no idea of how to answer him.

“After all pain and the terror of the war, and my somewhat changed outlook on life, I would have to say yes. Yes, Granger, I believe that everything happens for a reason, and that reason has to do something with this life we are living in. I mean if you had told yourself you would be having a civil conversation with Draco Malfoy last year, would you have believed that?” He said, giving me one of his classic smirks.

I shook my head, realizing that everything he had said was true. “No you are right Malfoy, I would never believe I could share a table and civilized conversation with a ferret last year,” I laughed, and he playfully pushed me out of my chair.

“Watch it there bookworm,” he winked at me as he rose from the table, “well looks like I have to go off to Quidditch practice, have fun with your books.”

“Don’t take any bludgers to the head, we don’t need you any stupider.” I teased as he began to walk away, only stopping to turn around and stick his tongue out at me.

I let a small smile linger on my lips as I watched him leave, and then turned my attention back to the piles of homework in front of me. I tried focusing on it, but his question kept invading my head as were the rest of my feelings. “Stop thinking about the impossible Hermione,” I scolded myself and refocused on homework.

After five minutes of getting nowhere I sighed, pulled out a piece of parchment and my quill and began to write.

_Dear Malfoy,_

I stopped and stared at the paper, realizing where this was going. I decided that I had to do it if I was to have any peace of mind.

_Dear ~~Malfoy~~ Draco,_

_Do you believe in fate? You literally asked me this question ten minutes ago and yet never waited for an answer from me, which begs me to ask you the question again do you actually, honestly believe in fate?_

_Because I do, I mean, I have to believe in everything that I am feeling and all the changes around me._

_Before the war I hated you, there is no denying that. I hated what you stood for: arrogant little pureblood that always got his way and was always given everything to him on a silver platter. I hated how you picked on the weak with no mercy and laughed at their misfortunates. But what I really hated was how you called me names and how you treated me; I was nothing but a speck of dust to you and unworthy of your kindness all because of my blood. And even though I would not tell the others, your words cut like knives and on occasion would spill tears from my eyes. And I do not cry easily. Let me tell you that._

_But then the war happened, and you were stuck on your own side, forced see the actually meaning of evil first hand and that changed you. Especially in the sixth year when you were forced to do the dark lord’s assignment or your family would die. I think that is when you began to change, I noticed it, you were more withdrawn and made less attempts to make fun of my background and blood, and you know what? I missed it. Because even though you made fun of it , there was no real danger in the words you were using, and I would have much rather had to deal with that then the invasion of Hogwarts and the death of Dumbledore._

_Then with all the events last year that would forever change all of us, I must believe that fate had a part to play in that. The terror at your house had to be fate, because I became a different person that night and I could see that you had already changed. Your reaction to my torture was shocking to see, but it also warmed my heart to know that Draco Malfoy was not pure evil but trapped in a role that he could not get out of._

_And that’s when it started, I started to feel something for you other than hatred and your face haunted my dreams for the nights that came after that. All I could see was the grimaced expression and the hurt and the pain in your silver eyes and I could no longer find it my heart to hate you anymore. And it just grew from there, especially at the end of the war. With all that you did to help those who had been devastated by the effects of the side that you once support. It made me respect you and start to care for not only for your cause but for you as person._

_This new perspective on you made going back to Hogwarts a little easier, knowing that old prejudices would not be there, and I wanted to get to know you, to have a civilized conversation with you. But then the school year started, and I was too nervous to talk to you, I was afraid to be rejected, because you were Draco Malfoy, one of the most popular boys in school and I was well… me. But then fate intervened one night at the library during that first week._

_I was sitting alone at a table and I saw you walk in. Part of me hoped you would sit down next to me and start talking to me. And I chided myself for wishful thinking and then it actually happened!! You walked over and took the seat across me, you never asked if it was okay and I liked that. We never said anything to each other, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It was one of my best studying sessions, because you studied, and I thoroughly enjoyed your presence. And then we left together when the library closed, never saying anything until we parted ways and you looked me straight on in the face and said, “Goodnight Granger.”_

_I was shocked at first, but then I simply said, “Goodnight Malfoy,” and we went our separate ways, but I turn around and watched you walk away, I smiled at the back of your head. I could say that it was the moment that I fell for you, but I would be lying. It went on like that for the first two weeks of school and then you broke the silence one night by simply asking a question about one of our assignment and from then on we never had a silent study session. We talked about everything from school, Quidditch, BOOKS and then more personal stuff and in between that we became friends._

_I never thought I could be your friend, but it was one of the best things that fate could have brought me. You were someone who understood the pain of the war, the hard work of school and simple joy of a book. But when we started to talk about more sensitive subjects with ourselves, I found myself not only wanting be your friend but to be something more or someone more. That is when I knew I was falling for you._

_But the exact moment when I knew there was no going back happened just a couple nights ago, the night where you apologized. It was on our walk from the library, and all of sudden you stopped and looked at me with those eyes filled sorrow and said “I am sorry Hermione for that night, for the pain that she caused and the scar she left on you.”_

_I couldn’t speak, a heaviness had taken over my chest and my heart, my tongue could no longer speak thoughts  and I couldn’t stop the tears from escaping my eyes. I never let anyone see me cry , but with you I seemed to break all the rules for and for once in my life I didn’t want to keep my guard up. You moved to gently wipe them away and gather me into your arms, giving me the most comfort that I had ever felt. And you just held me as I let the tears fall and the memories return. Finally, I found my words again: “It wasn’t you fault Draco, but it means a lot to hear those words from you. I really do appreciate it.” And then I did something that I have wanted to do for a while: I raised my head and kissed your check. And just like that you understood what I was feeling and gave me another hug before I broke away from. (I had to do this or I would have wanted to stay like that forever.)_

_I looked up at you and said “You have changed Draco and become such a better person. Do not forget about the good, it always out weights the bad no matter how bad it is.”  You let out a small smile and then replied “Thanks Hermione, have good night and I’ll see you tomorrow.” That was the first time you ever said my real name and I loved how it sounded coming out of your mouth._

_And you left just like that, like every other night, but for me it wasn’t like any other night, it felt like the start of something. My heart was beating faster than before, and my breathing was heavier and I knew I couldn’t go to the Common Room like this or Harry and Ron would freak. They would see my rosy cheeks, bloodshot eyes and become protective of me. And there was no way I could explain to them what happened or how I was crying not because of pain but because of the protection and comfort that you offered me and the realization that I was in love with you, when you only wanted friendship. So I stayed in the corridor and let the tears fall out and as I tried to collect myself and regain the composure that I had kept before you had broken through those walls with not you’re your apologetic words, but with all of your actions the recent weeks. It made me realize that with you there were no walls left, you had broken through all of them and there was no way I was building them back up._

_I finally pulled myself back together and got myself back to the Common Room, but sleep would not come to me that night. I replayed that hug and the comfort in my head constantly, and the feeling of your arms around me and for that whole night I craved your arms around me. And in all honesty I am still craving them three days later. You have gotten into my system and I cannot make you go away, nor do I want you to._

_But I don’t think you are on the same wavelength as me, I don’t see any signs of the same feelings of my heart reflected in you. Perhaps you are better at hiding them then I am. My heart is my sleeve and I am surprised that you haven’t already figured it out, but you never were the sharpest one in the book. So I guess that is why I am writing you this letter, because I know I will never send it nor will I act on these feelings. I don’t think I could deal with loosing you as my friend. You have become my rock in getting past the horrors of the war and making me come to an understanding of the events. I would miss your company as well. I would rather have you as my friend than not at all in my life._

_So even though I will never send this, I need to say these words out loud for them to become real: **I love you.**  Not just the person you have become, but I love all of your flaws and everything that makes you, well you. It is not a simple love either, it’s the kind of love that consumes you and doesn’t let you go half way in, but the whole way. I have fallen into the deep and I know there is no way out, but I am okay with that, because you are worth it to me. _

_Now I am going to stop my rambling because the tears are starting to form, but I just needed to get this off my chest. Even though you will never read this, and I will never be able to tell you. At least it feels good to think that you know._

_Love Forever,_

_Hermione_

I sniffled and wiped away the single tear that had fallen. It was silly to be crying, I never use to cry but now it seemed like it was all I did these days. Somehow I had become more emotional and I had not control over it. Sighing, I charmed the paper so that the only people who could read would be myself and Draco, otherwise it would look like a blank piece of paper. Not like he would ever read it, but maybe one day I would have the courage to show it to him.

I laughed at this thought, “what’s so funny Granger? Cause it’s not me.” Draco’s voiced came behind me and I jumped, startled by his reappearance.

“Calm down, it is just me,” he laughed and I rolled my eyes at him. “Why are you back? I thought you had team meeting and dinner after practice?” I questioned him, curiosity glowing in my eyes.

“Always questioning things Granger. I am just back to grab my book that I forgot, which you seemed not to notice, which isn’t surprising since you have papers spread everywhere. Seriously I have only been gone for an hour,” he teased as he started shuffling my papers.

I swatted his hand away, “I have a system you know,” I said, taking the time to set each paper where it was supposed to be. He growled in frustration, “Granger, you kill me sometimes.”

I smirked at him, “It’s for your own good.” I continued to move papers around, until I successfully found the book. “Here!” I said thrusting it into his hand, “don’t be so forgetful next time.”

“Maybe I just missed you company,” he winked, taking the book from my hand.

“Sure you did,” I smiled, trying not to let his comment get to me, but my heart had already warmed at the thought.

“Maybe I honestly did,” he teased, and I just smirked at him “I don’t believe you and don’t you have dinner to go too?”

“One day perhaps, and I am going! See you tomorrow Granger, I’m sure you will still be here,” he laughed walking away from me.

I just shook my head, his laugh and footsteps echoing in my head, maybe I would send him that letter after all, but he was such a tease and everyone knew it. I sighed and began to rearrange my notes, taking inventory of them, when suddenly fear struck me, the letter was missing.

“Oh fuck!” I stuttered as I shuffled through the parchment again, scanning each one for it, but confirming it was indeed gone and the only other place that it could be was in Draco’s book.

“Oh bloody hell!” I said to myself, realizing my life was about to get more complicated. I slammed my head down on the desk. All I could do now was wait for a confrontation from him. What was he going to think? I shook my head, cursing myself for writing it.

~~~

Draco made it half way to the Slytherin Common Room, before realizing he had a sheet of parchment sticking out of his book.

“Damn it Granger and your unorganized mess,” he grumbled as he pulled the sheet. He turned around to head back to the library to return the note, until he looked down and saw that the parchment wasn’t a sheet of notes at all. No this was a letter and it had his name written on it! He stopped at the next window seal and sat down and began to read.  

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! I am blown away by everyone who has taken the time to read my rambling. Here is the long awaited second chapter!! My muse got away from me, so enjoy !

So, I chickened out and decided my best option was to hide, I honestly did not think that I could deal with him if he came to talk to me, so instead I decided to prolong the awkwardness. Like, what was I going to say that wasn’t already in the letter? And since his feelings were not the same, it was just going to hurt me more than ever. So logically I did what I thought would be best for the situation, which was run away and hide where no one could find me. And I also needed comfort food and a very sad chick flick, which were things that could not be found in our common room and hiding there would not count as hiding at all, especially since we were hosting the houses weekly party. They happened every Friday night and every house from 4 years and up, gets together at one common room to party and drink till they make bad decisions.

So, there was no way that Draco was not going to be there, so all the better to skip it. I didn’t want to see him at dinner either, so I made the decision to also skip that, but I’m sure the comfort food would make up for it. I quickly changed into sweatpants and hoodie and made my way out of the common room and headed in the direction of the Room of Requirements, which had been magically rebuilt after the war. I quickly made a stop at the kitchen to grab the necessary snacks that I would need. As I approached the room, I began to conjure the imagine of what I wanted in the room and I held onto to it as I arrived at the room. I began to pace back and forth in front of it with the image in my head. The door appeared just at the end of the third pace and I let myself in.

It was just as I had imagined, the room had transformed into a cozy little den, the perfect place for me to hide. There was a couch in front of a large TV in the middle of the room, counters covered the back wall of the room and there was a fridge placed in the middle of it.  It was perfect for storing the snacks. On one side of the couch there was a basket full of fluffy pillows and blankets and on the other side there was a shelf that was the length of the entire wall full of movies. My hopes were that the movies were chick flicks, but I could be wrong.  The room had outdone itself this time as I carried my snacks over to couch and proceed to wrap myself in the fluffiest blanket I could find.  I scanned the movie shelf quickly but immediately found what I was looking for, I placed _Titanic_ in and curled up on the couch. Yep, I could forget all my problems, even for a little while at this point.

~~~

Draco had to read the letter twice to confirm what he was reading because it was too good to be true: Hermione Granger was in love with him. How could this happen to someone like him, he did not deserve a love like hers. It was pure and beautiful, how could someone like her come to love a person so broken by the evils in his life that left him lost and unsure of who he even truly was. He shook his head and read the letter again for the third time.

How could Granger not know though? How could she not know that he loved her… that he was in love with her? Draco had thought that he had made it more than obvious he was interested in her. Hell, it had always been her! If he looked back at his seven years, he had always liked her, but it had taken the war to show the depth of his feelings. Seeing her tortured by his aunt had not only confirmed that he was in love with her, but it made him realize he was on the wrong side. From that moment on he vowed to change for the better, hopefully one day becoming someone who could deserve to be in her life.

From the moment he had sat down at her table, for the first time he known there he knew there was no way he couldn’t have her in his life. But he was afraid to talk to her, to be open with her, to say sorry, he was afraid she would still see the old Draco from the war. But after their first conversation, he knew she didn’t see the old Draco and that gave him hope.

Throughout the last couple of weeks, he had thought he had seen signs that she liked him, but he was still unsure. How could someone like her, like someone like him? It was unheard of and if it did happen, it was only in fairy tales. But now he had mistakenly gotten this letter, that showed him that she felt the same way! And he was at a loss of what to do about it. For once in his life, Draco had no idea what to do, what path to take. He had been thinking about it for the entire walk to his common room, fighting the urge to run back to the library and kiss right then and there.

No, he had to be smooth about it and yet he was blanking on how to do it.

“Draco! You missed the team meeting and you are the bloody captain, you idiot!” Blaise smirked as Draco came through the common room doorway, knocking him out of his train of thought.

“Yeah, uhhh my bad mate, I am sure you could manage on you own though since we basically co-captain the team!” he commented back, still not focusing on the problem at hand or really caring about it.

“Yes, but it would have been nice to have an actual captain present… who isn’t even listening to me. Draco what the hell is on your mind!” he snapped questioning his best friend, stopping him in his spot, oblivious to the conversation at hand.

“What? Nothing is in my head?” Draco tried to deflect the question.

“Bloody hell! You know that won’t work with me, care to try again?” Blaise said, not giving him the chance to deflect it and gave him the knowing look.

Draco signed knowing Blaise would not leave it alone and he knew his friend was wise in the area of female hearts. He had been successful at dating Pansy for 2 years now. Giving in he pulled Blaise away from everyone else in the room.

“Oh, good we are getting somewhere,” Blaise commented before Draco shushed him.

“It is about Granger okay?” He stated, and Blaise’s smirk grew wider, “isn’t it always?” he asked, and Malfoy elbowed him in the ribs, causing Blaise to let out a groan.

“This is serious Zabini, I actually need your help or advice or both,” Draco glared at him admitting defeat as Blaise shook his head in understanding.

“Alright mate, I’m all ears,” he responded giving Draco the floor to say what he needed to.

“Well I can’t tell you how I came to know this…” he started out and Blaise just looked at him and he realized he was going to have to be open with him.

“Alright screw it, I forgot a book at the library before practice, so I went back to get it afterwards. And Granger was still there naturally, and she had buried it under her millions of papers, so I retrieved it but took along a sheet of parchment. I really didn’t think anything of it until I found it walking back, so I pulled it out and it was not the notes I assumed it was,” he paused letting Zabini process what he was telling him.

“Okay I am not seeing the problem, continue please,” Zabini said encouraging Draco.

“It was a letter addressed to me and it was her confessing her love for me, among other things and I now have no idea what to do about this information,” he stated simply, trying not to be overexcited.

“No way man, absolutely no way! Let me see it,” Blaise exclaimed, excitement dancing in his eyes. Draco sighed and procured the letter from his pocket and passed it over to him. Blaise did a once over the paper as confusion spread over his face.

“Draco there is nothing on here, are you sure you aren’t pulling my leg because I would be impressed and then slap you,” he commented as a shock look appeared on Draco’s face.

“No Blaise it is real, its actually there,” he said grabbing back his letter, “see it say and I quote: _“So even though I will never send this, I need to say these words out loud for them to become real: I love you._ Blaise I was never going to get to see this letter, she was never going to tell me 0r send me this letter, here look again,” Draco exclaimed and passed the parchment back to him to reaffirm his point.

“Draco there is nothing here!” Blaise threw up his hands in frustration, dropping the letter in the process. Draco groaned in frustration and penetrated Blaise’s mind in order to see proof of what he was seeing. Indeed, Zabini and Draco were talented in the art of Occlumency, but Draco had always been superior with his talent and he easily found what he was looking for. Surprisingly Blaise was right, in his memories the sheet of paper was blank. “Bugger Hermione must have charmed it or something. Here this is what it said,” Draco said, focusing on his own memory and projecting it into Blaise’s mind. He instantly could see the recognition in Blaise’s eyes and his smile grow for his friend.

“Well isn’t that something! The beauty finally fell in love with the beast, and yet she has no idea that you know! What are you going to do?” Blaise asked, looking at Draco with excitement.

“I need to go find her Blaise; I feel like she needs to know that its not one sided! How could she not know?”  he asked exasperated, he thought he had been clear with his actions.

“She is Granger, Malfoy; she needs it in writing or something that logically computes for her. Actions have deceived her in the past: look at Viktor or Weasley! And besides war changes people’s perception on what is kindness and what is more than just kindness. You will just have to prove it to her now! Tonight, is a perfect opportunity to do so, its Friday night so its party time with everyone, so it will not seem weird for you to seek her out. You guys have been seen together plenty of times together so it will not be that big of a deal. But you need to do something!  You cannot wait for the right moment, you have to create it yourself,” Blaise instructed him, hardly keeping his glee contained.

“What type of moment do you propose I create?” Draco said pensively, unsure of what direction to go. Women could be absolutely maddening, and he never liked playing games that weren’t straight forward.

“It needs to be a grand gesture! Something straight out of fiction, from one of her many books that she has read. Think classic and timeless that will render her speechless. You already know what her response will be to your declaration, of course after she gets over the shock that Draco Malfoy can actually have feelings,” Blaise said thrilled with the prospect to that Draco and Hermione would finally be acting on the feelings that they we were both trying so desperately to hide.

Draco couldn’t help but agree with his best friend, he did raise some good points, “I feel like you have given this a lot of thought… care to explain,” he questioned him almost accusingly.

“Draco before you go being all stupid on me! All I am saying is that I have watched you both for so long and listened to you go on about her for years. That it has given me a lot of time to think about how this day should go, when one goes from enemies to lovers is very significant and I never thought it would happen to Draco Malfoy. Besides I also have quite the romantic soul, you can go ask Pansy even,” Blaise explained as understanding became apparent in Draco’s eyes.

“Like I was saying, you need to a big romantic gesture that screams I love you!  Put that purebred upbringing to good use and hurry up. I do not want to have to listen about this for another couple weeks, if it becomes a month, I will do it myself,” He smirked and Draco just waved him away, maybe asking for Blaise’s help had been the wrong idea.

“I think I get it Blaise, just be quiet for one minute! I need to process and come up with something…” he faded off taking a seat in the armchair, running his hand through his hair almost in frustration. All he wanted to do was tell the women he had been in love with that this was in fact true and that he would spend the rest of his life loving her.  But how to express such a thing seemed to be his biggest problem, as there were many times in the past where he thought he had worked up enough courage to do so but always chickened out at the last minute. He couldn’t do that this time; she had the courage to write the letter now it was his turn to do the same.  Draco Malfoy was going to embrace the traits from Gryffindor to show Hermione Granger what she meant to him.

“Blaise! I need a piece of paper and a quill stat! And you need to go find out where I can find a rose, preferably red!” he bellowed out, thoughts forming quickly, pulling ideas from all the great romantics.

 

“Now we are talking Draco, I’ll return with the best rose I can find,” Blaise said, handing him the paper and quill before grabbing his blazer and hurrying towards the door.

 

“If you are not back on the top of the hour, I will make sure that your favourite appendage is out commission… and then you will have to deal with a very angry Pansy,” he smirked, dipping the quill in the ink and beginning to write, ignoring all other thoughts.

 

_Dearest Granger,_

_For being the smartest witch of our age, I have to say that you are sometimes so daft it surprises me.  But then again, I wouldn’t love you if you weren’t. Yes, you read that right, I love you and I have for a long time. And as you reread that line for a second and maybe third time to allow it to sink in, but it’s true and I have been trying to tell you for a long time.  Still don’t believe me? Well let me tell you a story._

_Once upon a time …. just kidding, but there was a boy who was raised in the purest beliefs possible. He was taught that he had to be the best at everything because that was the only way to bring honour to the family name and especially his father. So, he read and studied to prepare himself for becoming the top student at Hogwarts and for the first time in his life, his father seemed proud of him._

_And then that all changed when he entered his first class and couldn’t get any of the answers out, because there was a bushy haired girl who constantly beating him to the punch. And all year it seemed like he was one step behind her. No matter what he tried, he could not beat her.  His father heard about it and his disappointment was unwavering, especially since she was Muggle born. Yet the boy tried everything he could to keep pace, becoming second in every class to her. He studied all summer to see if the second year he could make a difference and catch her, but she was too good._

_The only thing that stopped her was the fact that she had become petrified by the basilisk. For the first week she was gone, the boy was thrilled that it was he who was answering all the questions and finally felt like he was going to make his father proud! But after the week was over the novelty wore off and the boy began to miss the girl and her bushy hair. And part of him wondered if his father set up the opening of the chamber of secrets to get rid of the girl and not just bring back the dark lord. It was the first time that boy questioned if the purest way was really the right way. The thing that no one knows, until this letter, was that the boy went to read to the girl everyday she was in the hospital. He didn’t want her to be behind when she woke up because who would challenge him if she wasn’t caught up? It was the first time he thought she looked pretty with crazy curls that fit so well with her personality._

_Then third year came around and the boy realized he had feelings for the girl. They hit him just as hard as the punch she delivered to his nose which couldn’t help but make him smile. He loved how passionate she became and the fact that he caused it. He loved to just annoy her, to get so exasperated that pink would appear in her cheeks.  Potter and Weasley would always be the primary source of that, but he always felt a tinge of pleasure when the pink appeared because of him._

_Fourth year was different though, he knew the Dark side was on the rise and his father was responsible. His father always wanted him to follow in his footsteps, but he did not want too. She wasn’t on that side. He knew couldn’t associate with her or act on these feelings. It could harm her, and his father would kill her. But he had never seen a more beautiful girl then her, especially when she appeared on the steps at the Yule ball. She was an absolute vision, the princess of anyone’s story. And he had never been so jealous of Viktor Krum then at that moment. He was allowed to be a dark wizard, associate with her and yet he could not. So, all he could do was watch from the sidelines as she looked happy dancing with him. What he wouldn’t have given for a bit Gryffindor courage to step in and show her how a waltz was truly done. To show how he could be the prince in her story._

_All summer, he couldn’t get her out of his head, everywhere he turned she was there. He couldn’t stop seeing her hair or hearing her laugh. Until the Dark Lord showed up at his house, turning his blood cold. Voldemort went on and on about his plans and how he was going to destroy everything dear to Harry Potter. He barely remembered making it out of the room and into the bathroom before he puked up his entire stomach. He stayed in the bathroom longer than he should and Professor Snape met him at the door. He took one look at him and shut the bathroom door._

_. “If you go out there with those thoughts, the Dark Lord will know, and he will have her delivered to the mansion for him to do unspeakable things to her in front of you. Everything you are imagining and more and then he will do them again until he breaks you and kills the girl,” he whispered, and the boy felt his stomach turn again._

_“Help me,” he pleaded softly, fear written all over his face. Snape just nodded his head and got to work. All through his fifth, he met with Snape and practiced and practiced until he could build walls so high and thick that no one could see his thoughts about her.  He even tried to stay away from her and joined the stupid squad just so he wouldn’t be around her. It didn’t work, somehow, she managed to get the entire hidden DA group captured by the squad. And then to top it all off she decided to go alone into the forest with Potter and their deranged teacher. He was thankful that Weasley knocked him out, because he was seconds away from making an excuse and going after her. It wasn’t even a second thought in his head, her safety was his first priority and he was willing to do almost anything to ensure she was safe._

_Sixth year was different in every way possible for him. For one he was tasked with most impossible mission that would result in his death regardless of the outcome. Second, he was stuck sitting next to her for almost all his classes. Most of his friends weren’t smart enough to be in the higher classes and the friends who were taking the classes were already sitting together. Blaise had taken it upon himself to woo the unexpecting Pansy Parkinson since Draco had told him over the summer that he had too much on his plate. Which wasn’t a lie, but Pansy seemed to have it in her head that they were going to get married and his heart belonged to someone else it didn’t seem fair to lead the girl on. Besides Blaise is from a fine family and would make a good match for Pansy._

_With his mission, he was barely sleeping and eating meals because he was trying to keep up with classes, so when he wasn’t in the room of requirements, he was in the library. And it was always the best time of his day because he always timed it when she was there. It was funny that he had gotten into the routine of observing her in the library. She would sit at the same table, sitting her quills and ink in the same row with her books on the same side as usual. She is particular about her stuff, and it amused him. Part of him wanted to walk over and move something or steal her table just to rattle her. Just to have some normalcy in his life, just raise that pink in her cheeks and have her snap at him.  But he didn’t, he sat quietly in his nook and tried to focus on his schoolwork and ignore how much she had changed and how it was even possible that she had grown even more gorgeous in the span of two months._

_He became behind in his school because he couldn’t focus on anything but her and because the pressure with Dark Lord grew. Every time he was discontent, the punishment grew, and the pain would last longer but he never let those walls fall and the Dark Lord never knew about her. And he kept it that way, even after Dumbledore died, which was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He allowed himself to be dragged away by Snape to safety, not knowing if he would ever see her again. Not knowing if she survived the battle until the Daily Prophet had arrived with Dumbledore’s funeral and she was featured in the picture beside Potter. He felt such a wave relief, even if it was short lived with the Death Eaters meeting starting as soon as he put down the paper._

_It was how he proceeded to live the next few months, grabbing every newspaper in hopes of seeing her face and knowing her location. It didn’t always work, but his faith never wavered in her and her abilities. He knew she would not allow anything to happen to the Chosen One, which is what he kept banking on. Even when they captured Luna, even when he did unspeakable things at school, he knew that no matter what he did and no matter what the Dark Lord would do, she would be safe. Until one day she wasn’t safe, until one day she was lying on the floor of Malfoy Manor with Potter and Weasley and there was nothing to do to protect her. Not from his Aunt and especially not from the Dark Lord. And felt something was breaking in his heart as he tried to make it seem like they were not the golden trio, but his aunt was seeing through it and there was not thing he could do._

_He felt it break even more as her screams pierced the air but he couldn’t turn away. His stomach churned, he could barely begin to hold down his stomach He felt his mother’s hand on his shoulder, grasping it hard as if willing her own strength into him so he could remain calm and unmoved. It was the hardest thing he had to do, and he hated every minute of it. Never in his life had he been grateful for Potter and his need to save the world and his friends because she was saved before the Dark Lord could arrive. At this point if he killed them, he would welcome it because he failed to protect the only person who mattered to him. He barely felt the pain from curses, it wouldn’t compare to the ache in his heart._

_As soon as he was free to leave the room, he took his leave as normal as he could. He made it to the garden before he vomited.  Once he got started, he couldn’t stop until there was nothing left. “Oh, my poor son,” his mothers voice spoke behind him, startling him._

_“It’s …. it’s nothing mother,” he tried to tell her, but he did not have the strength to lie to her anymore. She grabbed his hand and began steering him towards her greenhouse.  Opening the door for them, she pushed her son through and then locked the door behind them.  He walked over to the chairs as his mother put up wards._

_“Now we can talk freely Draco and don’t even try to lie to me.  You love her and you have for a long time. I can see it plainly on your face and could hear it in your voice when you talked about her. You may have learned to hide from everyone else, but you can’t hide from your mother,” she said warmly grabbing his hands in hers. For the first time in a long time, he did not feel alone._

_“I do and I always have, and I always will. And there is nothing I can do to help her. She probably won’t return my feelings, but I knew that from the start. But she is the light that keeps me from being suffocated in the dark and I vowed to myself to keep her safe. But I didn’t do that today and I have never felt so helpless…” he trailed off emotions building in his speech, “I just do not know what to do. “_

_“Son you did everything you could, I know that, and she knows that. Sometimes life puts you in very unfortunate situations and you have been dealt that hand. I’m sorry your father’s choice haas put you in this position. Once this war is over, you and I will do better. I promise you that, and then you can show her inside and out the real man you are,” she said as she hugged him and he let himself relax for a moment, knowing they were going to change. They were going to make a difference when the time comes. She would know and see the man he is._

_Now Granger, I am going to stop the story here because you now know the rest of it. That moment at first year, it was as though the universe existed only to bring us together. All I am trying to tell you is that you have bewitched my body, my soul and I love you._

_I struggled to figure out how to tell you, but I figured this was the best solution. You love reading the classic romances, but I thought our story might be your new favourite, because it’s mine._

_Now when you are finished reading this, come find me! I’ll be waiting for you, I’ll always be waiting for you!_

_Forever Yours_

_Draco_

He flexed his writing hand as he set down his quill. This was the perfect way to tell her. He accio an envelope, tucking the letter into in and sealing it with a flick of his wand.

“Finished Draco?” Blaise inquired looking up from the book on the couch, a red rose twirling in his hand.

“Almost done,” he commented as he made his way over to grab the rose, “all that is left is delivery and I have a plan for that. Come along Blaise we need to get dressed to woo our women.”


End file.
